Give stress the shove with our set of 52 nifty tips. Our tips have been placed into five categories which cover:
Improving mental health
Improving physical health
Developing knowledge and awareness
Improving sleep
Dealing with problems
If stress is affecting your quality of life, please talk to someone you trust, speak to your family doctor, or contact one of the mental health charities and organisations who might be able to offer support and assistance,
01 Don’t feel you have to deal with all problems straight away
It is difficult to find solutions to problems when you’re feeling angry or stressed out, and you’re more likely to do or say something you’ll later regret. If you can, wait until you’re feeling calmer to think through a problem and come up with a solution.
02 Keep a pen and paper by your bed
If you wake up in the night and think of something you need to remember to do the following day it can cause disruption to your sleep. By writing it down, so you don’t forget, you will be able to stop worrying about it.
03 Break large problems down into small, easy chunks
For example, instead of thinking: “I need to get a job” you could think: “My first step is to create a CV. My second step is to check job sites on the internet” and so on. If a step still seems too difficult, see if you can break it down even further.
04 Don’t eat or drink too much too late in the evening
Eating too late in the evening can cause your metabolism to speed up, and drinking too much can make you be more likely to need the toilet, causing problems with sleep.
05 Stay hydrated throughout the day
Dehydration can make it harder for you to concentrate and make you feel tired. Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay healthy and alert.
06 Don’t try to be a superhero
Do you try to do it all? Succeed at everything? Be the best? Why? Bear in mind that the house you buy or job you do will still be there long after you’re gone. Stick to the good points and learn to live with your faults. Accept you are not perfect. None of us are.
07 Know that some stress is normal
Prehistoric humans evolved to feel stress as a way to protect them from harm. If they sensed danger, they would be begin to feel anxious or aggressive, which would make them want to run away or prepare to fight.
08 Keep your mind ‘in the present’
Humans have a natural tendency to think a lot about the past or worry about things which might happen in the future. This helps us learn from past mistakes and plan for bad things which could happen. Keeping your mind focused on ‘the present’ can help you stop worrying and feel more relaxed. Mindfulness can help you do this.
09 Get your five-a-day
Try to eat five or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Eat foods of different colours to get even bigger benefits. This will help you to have a healthy, varied and nutritional diet and assist in keeping your physical and mental health in shape.
10 Gain self-confidence
Learn to give yourself a pat on the back every time you combat stress. Remind yourself of positive aspects of yourself, your life or things you have done in the past. It doesn’t matter if people aren’t aware, or don’t appreciate the things you do – the only person you need approval from is yourself.